Found: sweet potatoes!

Sweet potatoes can (usually) be found in the exotic produce section of the grocery store. They've been spotted at Carrefour, Auchan, Intermarché and even Ed and Spar.

Look for a section within the produce marked exotique that has items such as star fruit, ginger root, plantains, etc... They're called patate douce and are usually around 3euros/kilo.

If you can't find them there, try an African import store...or use carrots instead !

American recipe: Sweet potato casserole



4 cups sweet potatoes (cooked, peeled, and mashed)
2 Tbsp butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup coconut
3 tablespoon butter, melted

In a large mixing bowl, combine mashed sweet potatoes, margarine, eggs, milk, vanilla and sugar. Mix well. Spread into a greased 1 1/2-quart casserole.

Prepare the topping by mixing the coconut, brown sugar and butter. Sprinkle over the potatoes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until heated thoroughly.

Found: Buttermilk!

There are many possible substitutes for buttermilk, but the best I've found is Yorik fermented milk made by Yoplait. You can find it in most grocery stores in France and it works perfectly in many American recipes.

If you can't find Yorik, look for lait fermenté in the yogurt aisle. A word of caution - Yorik also comes in fruited flavors, so if you want plain buttermilk, look for nature.






American recipe: Buttermilk pancakes



2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 Tbsp sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup Yorik lait fermenté
1 cup milk
3 Tbsp melted butter
1 Tbsp oil

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix the eggs, milk and buttermilk in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until the batter just comes together. Add the melted butter. Mix lightly.

Heat a flat griddle or frying pan to medium high heat. Oil the pan then ladle the pancake batter onto the griddle to about 5 or 6 inches wide. When air bubbles start to appear on the surface at the center of the pancakes, use a flat spatula to flip them over. After a minute, check underside for doneness. When golden or darker golden brown, they are done.

Serve with butter and maple syrup (sirop d'érable).

American recipe: Green bean casserole in France

All these ingredients are available at local grocery stores in France:

- fried onions (look for oignons frits near apéro foods)
- canned mushrooms
- instant mushroom soup mix OR boxed mushroom soup
- French-cut green beans

Happy Thanksgiving prep!

This week's spotlight: City Bagels

Located conveniently downtown at 32 rue Férrandière (near Starbucks), their menu offers more than just freshly-baked bagels.

Bagels
(5 to 6 euros, with coleslaw or chips)

Wall Street: guacamole, lettuce, cucumber, mozzarella
Chinatown: cream cheese, salmon, cucumber, red onion, dill
Soho: mayo, lettuce, pastrami, tomoato, pickles
City: cream cheese, lettuce, magic chicken, onion crisp
Central park: tuna, mayo, tomato, red onion, lettuce
Little Italy: cream cheese, lettuce, smoked ham, goat cheese, honey

Philadelphia: cream cheese or peanut butter


Wraps
(around 4 euros)

Brooklyn: tuna, mayo, tomato, lettuce, corn, olive
Greenwich: guacamole, tomato, mozzarella, corn, lettuce, olive
Manhattan: cream cheese, tomato, magic chicken, lettuce, onion crisp


Salads

Coleslaw: white cabbage and carrots
Broadway: lettuce, tomato, salmon, corn, cucumber, surimi
Vegetable: lettuce, grilled eggplant, mozzarella, tomato, pine nuts
Madison: lettuce, smoked ham, goat cheese, tomato, fig, pine nuts


Paninis
(around 4 euros)

Chelsea: mozzarella, goat cheese, gruyère, cream cheese
Empire States: cream cheese, pezzicosa, magic chicken, tomato, gruyère
Big Apple: pesto, tomato, mozzarella


...and Hot Dogs!


Desserts

Cheesecake
Chocolate muffins
Brownie
Cookie
Fruit salad
Donuts
Crumble
Fromage blanc
Ben & Jerry's ice cream
Milkshakes


Drinks

Dr Pepper, Bud, cranberry juice, capuccino and flavored coffees, among the the usual selections.



* Open Monday thru Wednesday, from 8:30 am to 7pm, and Thursday thru Saturday from 8:30am to 9:30pm.

City Bagels
32, rue Férrandière, 69002